A plurality of embodiments of clutch arrangements are known from the prior art. Frictional clutch arrangements are predominantly of plate-type design. This means that the clutch arrangement comprises a first clutch part and a second clutch part, each clutch part having at least one friction-surface-bearing element. The individual clutch parts are brought into operative connection with one another by means of an actuating device. This is generally accomplished by means of a piston element, which exerts a contact force on the two clutch parts and thus brings the friction-surface-bearing elements into operative connection with one another. Here, the piston element generally acts directly on an end plate arranged on the piston side, it being possible for this end plate to be a component part of an outer or an inner plate carrier. On the other side of the clutch arrangement, the contact force is supported on the last plate in the direction in which the force acts, which is referred to as the end plate, this plate being supported, in turn, on a stop situated in an axially fixed location on a connection element on the clutch carrier or in the housing. In the simplest case, support is provided directly on the plate carrier, which also carries the respective end plate. The friction-surface-bearing elements of one clutch part are formed by steel plates, which can be brought into operative connection with other friction-surface-forming elements of the other clutch part. These can be provided with an additional friction lining or can merely define the possible surface areas for a friction pairing with their faces. Here, the end plates are configured in such a way that they have the required heat capacity and are also capable of compensating for the forces acting directly on them, in particular the supporting force and the actuating force. In contrast to the intermediate plates arranged between them, the end plates are therefore often embodied with at least the same thickness or a greater thickness. The individual clutch arrangement is therefore relatively large overall in the axial direction.
The object on which the invention is based is therefore to develop a clutch arrangement of the type stated at the outset in such a way that a potential reduction in the temperatures in the region of frictional contact with, at the same time, uniform distribution of surface pressure and a shorter overall axial length or the same overall axial length as in the prior art are achieved. The solution according to the invention should be distinguished by a low level of design complexity and a low outlay in terms of manufacture.